Results 11,901-11,920 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: We raised this issue last June when we appeared before the committee. The subhead in the Estimate for the Department includes the allocation of €7.5 million for next generation broadband services. By the end of June €2.547 million had been spent under the subhead. The total Estimate allocation for the year is €16.7 million. Approximately €900,000 was spent...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: To clarify, that was 75% and 94% of profile, so it would have been to that point in the year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: I will deal with the broadband issue first because it was raised by a number of members. At present, we are at stage 3, commencement of the detailed, technical and financial negotiations with the qualified bidders. There are three qualified bidders or consortia. The process started in July. We have a draft contract of approximately 2.2 million words - it is estimated that there will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: Deputy Eamon Ryan asked about cyber security.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: There is a certain amount I cannot say and a certain amount I can say. A national cyber security centre has been established. In the next few weeks, it is moving out to a purpose-built facility in UCD. It includes computer security emergency response functions and is also involved in implementing the EU directive on network and information security. That places a number of significant...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: It reports to my Department. Any serious incident involving cyber security would be reported directly to me as the relevant Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: What percentage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: It is nearly 14%.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: I will deal with the last point first. Naturally enough, if there is a reduction in funding, it makes things more challenging. It was a challenging year for RTE in any event with the Olympics, the European Championship and the 2016 commemorations. There has been a lot .

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: There was an election as well and, in fact, every single count was broadcast live on RTE, which was some achievement. No other broadcaster in the world has done that. We all appreciated the provision of that particular service by RTE. As such, there was a great deal of additional expense on RTE. There is a challenge and it is not just one for RTE. I have met not only with RTE, but with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: Technology is changing dramatically and has changed over the past number of years. The Deputy is correct in that regard and I am quite willing to hear the committee's views if it wants to come back with a proposal and we can explore it. It is important to remember that the fall in income from the television licence does not just affect RTE. It affects TG4 and the independent broadcasters...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: I am quite willing to hear the views of the committee. If the committee wants to come forward with a proposal to introduce a broadcasting charge or amend the current legislation, it should come forward with it and we will have a look at it. The Department will facilitate the committee any way it can in respect of that. My priority from a legislative point of view is to ensure that content...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: That could very well happen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: I have-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: Deputy Dooley asked about climate change. Our Department is the lead Department on climate action. However, some aspects are directly within my competency as Minister - on the electricity side, on the energy side, and on buildings and energy efficiency. They come under my remit. Agriculture and transport do not come under my remit. We work quite closely and there is a Cabinet...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: No, but in our day-to-day business, we travel long distances and trying to find charge points for electric vehicles can be difficult. People in the Dublin region can charge them when they get to work and again when they get home. The challenge is slightly different but there have been developments with batteries. The European Commission is putting significant investment into this and there...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: The third runway comes under the remit of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. We are working with the Department on emissions across the board and we will continue to engage actively with it in this regard. A process will be undertaken regarding the third runway and I will not get involved in that. Let us see what comes out of that process.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: Our Department has been engaged with the new owners. I am going down for the official handover which is coming about in the next couple of weeks. It is a positive development. The new owners are committed to the site and its operation and we have engaged with them at departmental level. We will probably get the opportunity to talk directly to them when we go down and visit. It is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: Is the Senator referring to the storage facilities?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Denis Naughten: All of these issues will have to be reconsidered in the context of Brexit and it would be foolish of me to rule anything in or out. A lot also depends on the agreement with the United Kingdom. For example, Ireland is subject to conditions within the European Union which oblige it to have capacity and storage facilities for oil and gas reserves. I refer to the obligation to have a 90-day...